Posted by
JCE
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During this time of year we often get strange storms – lightening, snow, rain, sleet…all at the same time. A few years ago a comedian (Lewis Black) made a reference to bizarre weather patterns and his punchline was “I know what comes next. Locusts!”. My son did not understand the joke.
He would have, of course, if I had raised him in a religious atmosphere and given him a biblical education. Even before realizing that I am an Atheist, I rebelled against the idea of my children being indoctrinated. Unfortunately, when they were young I did not feel they would be able to grasp the intricacies of mythology and did not want to cloud their little minds with what I consider to be adult philosophies. I simply taught them right from wrong and addressed issues as they presented themselves.
The downside to this is that neither of my children have a historical understanding of any religious text or mythological stories. This may leave them open to the increasingly persuasive arguments for the veracity of these stories, so the task ahead of me is undesirable but necessary – teach them the mythology of our ancestors. This is not something I feel is their school’s responsibility nor do I wish to relegate the task to them just as any parent of faith should not wish the school to educate their children on the particulars of their faith – supplement, perhaps, but the onus should be on the parents not the school.
What I want is for my children to be able to critically assess the stories and parables, understand the historical significance while giving them a better understanding of the development of humans. Understanding why Roman gods were created by the Romans helps them understand that culture and where those influences are still seen today. Religion in some form has been a part of human culture for a very long time and ignoring it only opens the door to repetition of it. As an Atheist parent, it is my responsibility to ensure that their understanding of the world is as complete as I can make it. To give them an appreciation for the superstitious beliefs that have often ruled through history can only help them to avoid allowing superstition to rule their own lives.
It is somewhat sad to me that any time or credence needs to be spent on these topics as it takes time away from other valuable information, but without a clear understanding of where humanity has been there is no hope for a future free of the superstitious mental bindings humans seems hell-bent on enslaving themselves in.
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7 comments:
** The Analects (500 BCE)
6:20 Fan Ch’ih asked what constituted wisdom. The Master said, “To give one’s self earnestly to the duties due to men, and, while respecting spiritual beings, to keep aloof from them, may be called wisdom.”
15:23 Tsze-kung asked, saying, “Is there one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one’s life?” The Master said, “Is not 'reciprocity' such a word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.” [trans. S.R. McIntyre 2003]
bipolar2
See you you can find books by Dr. Alan Dundes. He was a very popular professor of mythology and was interviewed in The God Who Wasn't There.
Good choice. I believe that understanding is the key to peace Perhaps if more people could come to understand and respect the views of others, while being able to hold their own, then we would not have nearly as much conflict. Evil is not some product of some Devil or another, it is the product of ignorance.
Besides, there are many many works of literature, art, etc that require a religious understanding to really enjoy. Not to mention comedians :)
Understanding that Atheism is a faith as all beliefs are I am careful not to teach it as the one and only truth to my children. That seems to be the same hypocrisy that we Atheists fight against. I make sure to teach my five children of as many faiths as I can. I do teach them the Bible. I also teach them the Lotus Sutra. There are many good as well as bad things to be learned from the teachings of the faiths. I don't hope for one faith or another for my children, I hope for them to be happy, respectful human beings.
I think that's a good plan.
In my experience, I was brought up in a household with no religion but was encouraged to explore any subject if I had questions about it. My folks never stopped me from attending Sunday school or going to a friend's house for Passover and I found religion to be fascinating, but a myth, nonetheless.
@bc42
I'm afraid your understanding of atheism is a bit skewed. Atheism is NOT a faith, nor it is a belief. I honestly don't know too many atheists who go around insisting that atheism is the one and only truth.
I was raised Catholic in a sect that still followed the tenants of Vatican I. So, Mel Gibson is now their patron saint (which is really bizarre to say the least...).
Anyway, while I am now a 30 year old athiest, I am incredibly grateful for my exposure to the Catholic church. I feel I can argue the pros and cons of Christianity with whomever is challenging me, and while I don't believe what they teach, I have a deep understanding of the history of Christianity, and I feel that is extremely important as a member of Western Civilization, for better or worse.
I often feel that I would want my children to have the same spiritual awakening that I experienced as a teenager/young adult. I went searching for what I believe in and the journey was/is extraordinary. While I could never push Christianity, or any specific religion on a child, I think it is extremely important to educate children about human spirituality. If, for no other reason, than to further illuminate the necessity of logic, science, and understanding in this world.
I grew up Catholic, but grew out of it. I disagree with the person who thinks that they learned a lot about their religion in their church. I learned most of what I know about Christianity outside of church. In church, they don't tell you about the dark ages, the early years of the church when procreation was a sin, the Crusades, the Inquisition, etc.
Suggested reading for your kids:
Pascal's theorem and its rebuttals
In praise of the devil (google it)
Dragon's Egg
Read the following books first to decide if your kids are old enough:
Unto the Last Generation, Thomas A Easton (a VERY thought-provoking book)
1632 series, Heirs of Empire (from the Dahak series)
Many other science fiction books deal with religions that spring up to explain things.
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